Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
LJS: Steve Sipple: Too early to panic about offense
Steven M. Sipple: Too early to panic about offense
Monday, Sep 12, 2005 - 12:33:23 am CDT
This isn’t meant to pile on Zac Taylor, an eminently likable sort suddenly in a somewhat unenviable position.
Nevertheless, crunch these numbers: In the second half of the first game this season and the first half of the second game, the Nebraska quarterback was a combined 9-for-30 passing for 64 yards and one interception. Yikes.
Through two games — a pair of wins, mind you — Nebraska’s offense has eked out two touchdowns, is 10-for-33 on third-down conversions and has rushed for 241 yards. Ouch.
If there’s panic in the streets of Husker Nation, blame it in large part on the Red-White Spring Game, which created unwieldy expectations for Taylor and the offense in general. The Spring Game, in fact, has become little more than a Hollywood-like production designed to fill seats and, above all, impress recruits.
The day fast approaches when Lincoln officials align with the South Stadium brain trust to gear everything in our city toward enticing precocious 17-year-old boys to play for the Big Red. These days it’s all about recruiting, friends.
At some point, you may have to think less about recruiting and more about first downs.
Meanwhile, politicians deftly create phrases to explain away thorny issues. Last season, Nebraska’s football struggles were chalked up to “a transition year.” This season, the Huskers are “a work in progress.”
No question, Nebraska’s offense needs work before it’s ready to make appreciable progress.
However, there’s a bright side to all of this offensive misery. A few of them, actually:
Bright Side I: Pitt’s foundering football team. The 0-2 Panthers are a train wreck. They rank 95th nationally in total offense and 61st in total defense (Nebraska is No. 99 and No. 6, respectively). New Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt looked lost as the Panthers fell in overtime to Ohio last weekend. After playing Pitt on Saturday, NU has a bye week before beginning conference play. Perfect. Bill Callahan and Co. can step back, take a deep breath and assess the situation. And, yes, we have a situation.
Bright Side II: Callahan is a proven offensive wiz. Say what you want about the second-year Nebraska head coach, you can’t erase the impressive accomplishments on his resume. If you’re a hard-core Husker, you have to believe Callahan will find a way to move the chains, eventually.
Bright Side III: Nebraska’s defense. In a word: wow. What a difference a year makes. What a difference unity and chemistry make. What a difference depth in the front four makes. What a difference a bunch of ball-hawking linebackers makes. The Huskers’ dominating defense gives the offense some needed wiggle room. It appears the defense might have to carry the load throughout the season.
Nevertheless, this is no time for Callahan and Co. to panic about offense. Not at 2-0. Nor is this time for Callahan to start shuffling his lineup. That would send players the wrong message. Callahan exudes calm, and he needs to continue in that vein.
At this point, Taylor needs reassurance from coaches more than he needs the threat of being benched. Besides, he remains the best quarterback on the roster, though you can’t discount redshirt freshman Joe Ganz’s impressive preseason.
True freshman Harrison Beck? Evidently, he came to town ready to play from a physical standpoint.
“He is a big-time talent,” Husker defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said last week. “But it’s taking him some time.”
Whispers around South Stadium indicate Beck might not be emotionally mature enough to take charge of the offense. Perhaps that helps explain why he began the season No. 3 on the depth chart despite the ungodly hyperbole accompanying his recruitment.
Whatever. At this point, Nebraska’s offense needs a steady hand under center. Taylor, a 22-year-old junior college transfer, provides that crucial dimension. Through two games, he’s shown flashes of what we saw in the spring game. The issue, of course, is consistency.
When you’re looking for consistency, the last place you generally want to look is toward true freshmen.
Which brings us to Marlon Lucky, another overhyped recruit (Best I can tell, there’s no longer such a thing as an underhyped recruit). Lucky has been curiously underwhelming, rushing 15 times for 47 yards (3.1 per carry).
Senior starter Cory Ross also has been a mild disappointment. Although he rushed for 123 yards on 20 carries against Wake Forest, 14 of his attempts went for 4 yards or fewer. Even so, he’s the heart and soul of this offense. So you stick with him.
Bottom line, no part of the offense is playing particularly well, except for the freshman kicker.
Think happy thoughts, Husker Nation. Think about the hard part of the nonconference schedule (Wake Forest) being in the rearview mirror. Think about the hard-charging defense. And if all else fails, think forward to the Spring Game.
Steven M. Sipple: Too early to panic about offense
Monday, Sep 12, 2005 - 12:33:23 am CDT
This isn’t meant to pile on Zac Taylor, an eminently likable sort suddenly in a somewhat unenviable position.
Nevertheless, crunch these numbers: In the second half of the first game this season and the first half of the second game, the Nebraska quarterback was a combined 9-for-30 passing for 64 yards and one interception. Yikes.
Through two games — a pair of wins, mind you — Nebraska’s offense has eked out two touchdowns, is 10-for-33 on third-down conversions and has rushed for 241 yards. Ouch.
If there’s panic in the streets of Husker Nation, blame it in large part on the Red-White Spring Game, which created unwieldy expectations for Taylor and the offense in general. The Spring Game, in fact, has become little more than a Hollywood-like production designed to fill seats and, above all, impress recruits.
The day fast approaches when Lincoln officials align with the South Stadium brain trust to gear everything in our city toward enticing precocious 17-year-old boys to play for the Big Red. These days it’s all about recruiting, friends.
At some point, you may have to think less about recruiting and more about first downs.
Meanwhile, politicians deftly create phrases to explain away thorny issues. Last season, Nebraska’s football struggles were chalked up to “a transition year.” This season, the Huskers are “a work in progress.”
No question, Nebraska’s offense needs work before it’s ready to make appreciable progress.
However, there’s a bright side to all of this offensive misery. A few of them, actually:
Bright Side I: Pitt’s foundering football team. The 0-2 Panthers are a train wreck. They rank 95th nationally in total offense and 61st in total defense (Nebraska is No. 99 and No. 6, respectively). New Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt looked lost as the Panthers fell in overtime to Ohio last weekend. After playing Pitt on Saturday, NU has a bye week before beginning conference play. Perfect. Bill Callahan and Co. can step back, take a deep breath and assess the situation. And, yes, we have a situation.
Bright Side II: Callahan is a proven offensive wiz. Say what you want about the second-year Nebraska head coach, you can’t erase the impressive accomplishments on his resume. If you’re a hard-core Husker, you have to believe Callahan will find a way to move the chains, eventually.
Bright Side III: Nebraska’s defense. In a word: wow. What a difference a year makes. What a difference unity and chemistry make. What a difference depth in the front four makes. What a difference a bunch of ball-hawking linebackers makes. The Huskers’ dominating defense gives the offense some needed wiggle room. It appears the defense might have to carry the load throughout the season.
Nevertheless, this is no time for Callahan and Co. to panic about offense. Not at 2-0. Nor is this time for Callahan to start shuffling his lineup. That would send players the wrong message. Callahan exudes calm, and he needs to continue in that vein.
At this point, Taylor needs reassurance from coaches more than he needs the threat of being benched. Besides, he remains the best quarterback on the roster, though you can’t discount redshirt freshman Joe Ganz’s impressive preseason.
True freshman Harrison Beck? Evidently, he came to town ready to play from a physical standpoint.
“He is a big-time talent,” Husker defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said last week. “But it’s taking him some time.”
Whispers around South Stadium indicate Beck might not be emotionally mature enough to take charge of the offense. Perhaps that helps explain why he began the season No. 3 on the depth chart despite the ungodly hyperbole accompanying his recruitment.
Whatever. At this point, Nebraska’s offense needs a steady hand under center. Taylor, a 22-year-old junior college transfer, provides that crucial dimension. Through two games, he’s shown flashes of what we saw in the spring game. The issue, of course, is consistency.
When you’re looking for consistency, the last place you generally want to look is toward true freshmen.
Which brings us to Marlon Lucky, another overhyped recruit (Best I can tell, there’s no longer such a thing as an underhyped recruit). Lucky has been curiously underwhelming, rushing 15 times for 47 yards (3.1 per carry).
Senior starter Cory Ross also has been a mild disappointment. Although he rushed for 123 yards on 20 carries against Wake Forest, 14 of his attempts went for 4 yards or fewer. Even so, he’s the heart and soul of this offense. So you stick with him.
Bottom line, no part of the offense is playing particularly well, except for the freshman kicker.
Think happy thoughts, Husker Nation. Think about the hard part of the nonconference schedule (Wake Forest) being in the rearview mirror. Think about the hard-charging defense. And if all else fails, think forward to the Spring Game.
